WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Jim Engdahl, President and Chief Executive Officer of Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:GWG) (OTCQX:GWMGF) ("GWMG"), provided expert testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources on two key pieces of legislation: the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Policy Act of 2011 (H.R. 2011) and the Resource Assessment of Rare Earths Act of 2011 (H.R. 1314).

He urged Members of Congress to work together on a bipartisan solution to the rare earths and critical materials crisis in the United States and incorporate provisions from both bills under consideration to "demonstrate important leadership in the global community regarding the ever more important issues surrounding the United States' precious natural resources."

"These bills offer important elements of a much-needed comprehensive solution to challenges in developing a complete, reliable and competitive rare earth supply-chain in the United States," Engdahl stated. Arguing that a solid understanding of the availability of critical minerals is a key starting point for their successful development, he cited specific ideas within the pending legislation as necessary: a supply-chain analysis to inform the market of potential shortages; creation of a small inventory of those rare earths in short supply; and development of downstream capabilities to produce metal.

Engdahl also advocated for industry and government officials to reform the current framework for issuing permits to develop rare earth mines. "GWMG does not support shortcuts that skirt important environmental protections," he said. "Rather, we are encouraging a streamlining of the permitting process by the identification of unnecessary bureaucracy and inefficiency in the process." Currently, that process can take up to a decade from application submission to permit approval.

The hearing can be viewed at http://naturalresources.house.gov/Calendar/EventSingle.aspx?EventID=243433

Great Western Minerals Group Ltd. is an integrated Rare Earths processor. Its specialty alloys are used in the battery, magnet and aerospace industries. Produced at the Company's wholly owned subsidiaries Less Common Metals Limited in Birkenhead, U.K. and Great Western Technologies Inc. in Troy, Michigan, these alloys contain aluminium, nickel, cobalt and Rare Earth Elements. As part of the Company's vertical integration strategy, GWMG has signed an Off-take Agreement for 100% of the Rare Earth Elements to be produced at the former producing Steenkampskraal mine in South Africa and holds 93.1% equity ownership in Rare Earth Extraction Co. Limited, the owner of the Steenkampskraal mine. In addition to a planned exploration program at Steenkampskraal, GWMG also holds interests in six Rare Earth exploration and development properties in North America.

Certain information set out in this News Release constitutes forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements (often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "expect", "may", "could", "anticipate" or "will" and similar expressions) may describe expectations, opinions or guidance that are not statements of fact and which may be based upon information provided by third parties. Forward-looking statements are based upon the opinions, expectations and estimates of management of GWMG as at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or outcomes to differ materially from those anticipated or implied by such forward-looking statements. Those factors include, but are not limited to, the results of the exploration program, a resource estimate and commencement of production at Steenkampskraal, satisfaction of the conditions precedent with respect to GWMG's offtake agreement, receipt of all required approvals (including those relating to the commencement of production at the Steenkampskraal mine) and risks, uncertainties and other factors that are beyond the control of GWMG, risks associated with the industry in general, commodity prices and exchange rate changes, operational risks associated with exploration, development and production operations, delays or changes in plans, risks associated with the uncertainty of reserve or resource estimates, health and safety risks and the uncertainty of estimates and projections of production, costs and expenses. In light of the risks and uncertainties associated with forward-looking statements, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon forward-looking information. Although GWMG believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements set out in this press release or incorporated herein by reference are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. The forward-looking statements of GWMG contained in this News Release, or incorporated herein by reference, are expressly qualified, in their entirety, by this cautionary statement and the risk factors contained in GWMG's current annual information form available at www.sedar.com.

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